A few months before baby starfish #2 was born, we started going through bins of clothes from baby starfish #1. After a few days, I came across this blanket:
It's a simple feather and fan with garter stitch border done in a cheapo acrylic yarn. It was one of the first "bigger" projects I made after learning to knit. I would never knit this today. I would use nicer yarn or a more complex pattern, I'm sure. You know what, though? We use this little blanket quite a bit. It gets placed over the baby in the swing when the a/c is a bit much. It gets thrown over the carseat bucket when it's raining. It is soft, washes right in the washing machine and snuggled while nursing. Yay for simple, first knits!
And now for something new..... I'm learning to quilt. Well, I've made a baby quilt before using tutorials from the internet but now I'm taking a real class at a quilt shop to learn the "proper" way. It's going to be a nine patch and I picked the fabrics last night:
There will be lots of plain white Kona cotton fabric in there as well. I love this new shop because it has a lot of modern fabrics in amazing colors and prints. This weeks homework is to wash and press our fabric and gather all of our supplies. I'll keep you posted on my progress!
Comments (10)
Do I spy some Amy Butler's "Love" fabric in there?? You picked out a wonderful combo - can't wait to see how it turns out! Love the baby blanket, too.
Posted by Paige | May 6, 2010 10:33 PM
Posted on May 6, 2010 22:33
Ooh! I love your fabric choices! These are not "safe" fabrics - they're not all in the same color family or from the same line or all florals (etc.) You've done some real mixing and matching, and this is a FUN combination! I think that a quilt with a variety of scales is a good thing, because it doesn't bore the eye. I'm guessing that you chose the black floral first and looked for fabrics that would play off that one? Yummy!!
I also like the baby blanket. It's a pretty pattern, and you made it in a practical yarn.
Posted by Liz in Ypsilanti | May 7, 2010 5:43 AM
Posted on May 7, 2010 05:43
Fun! I still hang onto some of the acrylic yarn that I bought when I first started knitting. I probably won't ever use it, but it reminds me of those early knitting days.
Posted by Mandy | May 7, 2010 7:46 AM
Posted on May 7, 2010 07:46
Might be "cheapo acrylic yarn", but the blanket is knitted so beautifully. And I think the ones out of cheap yarns get used the most, because we aren't afraid to "mess" them up.
Can't wait to see your quilt.
Posted by Kelly | May 8, 2010 7:15 PM
Posted on May 8, 2010 19:15
Ooh, I love the quilt fabrics! Where are you taking the class?
And I love the knitted blanket. One of my first projects was a rectangular baby blanket crocheted out of cheapo baby acrylic in stripes; but my cousin said her baby loved it.
Posted by Karen | May 10, 2010 11:30 PM
Posted on May 10, 2010 23:30
Ooh, quilting! I haven't been bitten by that bug just yet, but my friend who taught me to knit has. Maybe someday I'll try to add on that hobby too. Best of luck!
Posted by MissusVonkysmeed | May 12, 2010 9:16 AM
Posted on May 12, 2010 09:16
Ooooo --- love those fabric colors. So many quilt fabrics are "cutesy". These are much more sophisticated.
I'm sure Baby Starfish #2 loves his blankie. It's beautiful.
Posted by Dee | May 13, 2010 4:49 PM
Posted on May 13, 2010 16:49
I love the blanket. Sometimes, just simple and functional wins! I can't wait to see your quilting progress.
Posted by Mandy | May 14, 2010 4:29 PM
Posted on May 14, 2010 16:29
I love the blanket. I remember making one very similar when I was expecting my first child and it lasted through all four of mine. It is beautiful. I hope to catch up with you on Ravelry.
Posted by Janine | May 16, 2010 3:47 PM
Posted on May 16, 2010 15:47
I just made a feather and fan dishcloth! I'm working on a baby blanket for my friend in the feather and fan pattern, also out of cheap-o acrylic, just because I can't afford enough merino to make something of that size.
Posted by The Unraveled Librarian | May 29, 2010 1:48 PM
Posted on May 29, 2010 13:48